Steam
by asylem29
Summary: The water rises with the moon..the fire rises with the sun...the moon and the sun? the water and the fire?...my, my ,my...isn't that a misty vision...of steam...
1. Prologue: Katara

**Prologue**

Girl

Water tribe girl

Waterbender

Katara…

How could this one girl of the south water tribe…

Be the wife of the former prince, current king now?

…

she wasn't of great royal blood…

she wasn't someone you would have glued your eyes on in the crowd of bustling females…

but what made her stick out?

Was it because of her friendship with the avatar?

Yes, most of you say…

I beg to differ…

For me, Katara, waterbender….

Stood out from the crowd…

Because

She was Katara…

Girl…

Waterbender…

A smart and witty waterbender who could do wicked moves!

The sister of Sokka…

The friend of the avatar…

And the one who caught the fire prince's eye…

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**Michi29 Mail:** Hope you look out for my next chapter! See you guys! 


	2. Scarlet Room

**Michi29 Mail:** Ok, so this thing has been swimming around my mind lately, ever since I watched the fighting scene of dear Katara and dearest Zuko (episode 19). Hope you all like it!

**The horrible truth:** Most of you think I do…but sorry, I don't own Avatar….does Zuko count?

**Post Script:** this is my first try on writing a story in this parts of the fandom world. Please be kind…I come in peace!

* * *

An eighteen-year old waterbender sighed as she groggily sat up on the warm bed. She groaned. She felt so dizzy and she suspected it would have something to do with the sun.

The sun shone brightly on the bright-red colored room. Metallic red covered the walls, floor and the ceiling. On one side of the wall, hung the beautiful Fire Symbol tapestry, made with great care by the woman, whose name is stitched on the lower-right hand corner.

The waterbender smiled as she made out the small squiggle

"Hizaku" the waterbender said. _"a very beautiful name."_

The girl climbed out of the bed of red sheets…she looked down her white dress. It was good she didn't wear the blue robe she had always worn. She would have melted in that.

She stretched her arms high and bowed low, taking her hands to her feet.

She yawned when she straightened up. _"Hizaku…Hisaku…**Fire Blossom**…"_

The waterbender gazed at the beautiful work of art yet again

She blushed…she felt some kind of tingle that went through her whole body

Then the tingle turned to a searing pain.

"Aaaaaaah!"

She knelt down, gripping what she could, and the one she squeezed the life out of (or what was left of it), was the doorknob.

She turned the knob, which lead her to the connecting bathroom. She gasped. She felt like an invisible hand suddenly suffocated her. It was a horrid experience. She inhaled. She could breathe!

But what was so wrong?

What was going excruciatingly wrong?

She went inside and mustered all her energy just to stand and somehow lean on the sink.

The waterbender looked into the mirror and found no sweat on her skin. She felt hot and burning but not one drop of water escaped her.

She looked deeper into the mirror and was blinded by a bright light coming from the window. It was the sun!

She closed the door to block the light away from the tiled room so she could hide. She sat on the floor and felt what should normally be cold, really warm.

She started to cry…

She sobbed, she cried. Her blue eyes surrounded by white turned to red. Miraculously, tears began rolling down her cheeks, and she was so happy to feel it again…

…water…

She cried of sadness, loneliness and hunger. She bowed her head to her knees and hugged her legs close to her body.

A firebender told her she would not be left alone. A firebender told her that she will not feel unwanted and distressed. A firebender promised her…

…love…

But when she woke up that morning, she felt like all the pain she had never felt, all the pain she wasn't suppose to feel, fell on her shoulders and made her gag.

In her sobs, she did not notice the sudden unbolting of the door.

A sigh escaped the relieved twenty-two-year old seeker.

He entered the room and found no one. He was afraid that she left. But he grew more afraid when he heard the gentle sobs coming from the bathroom. He was afraid that something had happened. That she was hurt or worse, dying.

He immediately opened the door and found the waterbender on the floor, crying like a scared little child.

He went over to the tub close, but hidden from the door and the sink. He turned a knob and warm water gushed down to the part-metal-part-wood tub.

When it was half-full, he carried the waterbender, still unconscious of his presence, and the waterbender squeaked. She did not know he was already there. She wrapped her arms around his neck in panic that she would fall…

The seeker smiled at her childish behavior. Her brown hair was left untied on her back. He looked into the girl's eyes. Her blue, strong-willed eyes seemed so weak and tired. This waterbender needed him and his promise.

"Z-"

"Shhh…" He instantly shushed.

The zircon-colored orbs traveled through the seeker's rough-edged face…until she met with his golden eyes…

They stared at each other for a while. He, carrying her. She, embracing him.

She blushed. He blushed.

She gazed somewhere else and the seeker went to the tub and gently laid her down to the forever warm water.

"I-I…" the waterbender blushed.

"You don't need to take those off." The man said. He smiled gently at her.

The man took off his shoes and climbed in the tub, sitting behind the girl, clothes and all.

He embraced the waterbender from behind. The waterbender rested her head on his chest.

"Do you feel better?" he asked.

The girl nodded. The water was up to her shoulders and she liked it that way.

"I think we should take you back to the north water nation. Do you like to go back?"

"Don't worry about me…" The waterbender sunk a little deeper into the water and blowing slightly, bubbles ascended to the water surface, popping just as it was there. "I just get a little dizzy whenever the moon disappears."

"And when the moon disappears, t is when the sun is at its most powerful…"

"I don't mean just in the morning…" The waterbender said. "The moon disappears every month."

"When the moon becomes a new one?"

"When the moon gets ready to received a lot of light from the sun."

What followed after was silence. A long moment of silence.

The man decided to light a few scented candles. He snapped his fingers close to the wick of the candle. The candle flamed to life and a relaxing scent swept over the whole room.

The man knew that the scent was the waterbender's favorite scent.

Ocean Mist 

"I feel cold." The waterbender said.

The firebender grew confused since the water seemed very warm…but he made the heater under the tub hotter with a snap of the fingers and setting the lumps of coal on fire.

The water bubbled slightly after a few second and steam grew around them…

The girl embraced herself as she adjusted to the more comfortable atmosphere of the room…

She inhaled….

She breathed in the essence of the Ocean…

Her eyes widened in panic!

She stood up. She covered her mouth…she stepped out of the tub and went close to the sink…

"Huh? What's wrong?" The man was about to pull her back in but the waterbender jerked free from his grasp.

And there, on the sink she gagged…and eventually vomited…

When she finished after a few seconds…

A hand came to her shoulder, her chest heaving hoping for air…

"I think we should really get you to the infirmary…"

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**Michi29 Mail:** How'd you like it so far?

Tell me by pushing the **"GO"** button winking at you!

See you soon!

Bye!


	3. His Little Boy

"Ahhhh!" a woman yelled.

"okay…I see it…" another woman said full of assurance in her voice.

"AAAAAAAA!" the woman yet again yelled and tears began to roll down her cheeks as this process became even more painful.

"I see it! I see the head!"

A man of twenty-one years alive was pacing around the hall where he was supposed to wait. A door was left in the way for him to rush in and comfort his wife in this time of need.

He was anxious.

He was excited.

He was nervous.

But most of all, he was worried.

He knew of situations like these when the child lives and the mother dies, or worse, they both die.

"Calm down, boy." An old man advised as he tapped his foot on the floor. He was also waiting outside the 'Room of Miracles', but unlike the restless father-to-be, he was relaxed on his seat. "You're making me dizzy with your tossing and turning."

"I'm sorry Uncle." The man stopped pacing for a moment upon his uncle's suggestion. But the urge to move was inescapable….

"You do realize that it is sunset." The old man pointed out.

"Yes, Uncle"

The old man looked intently at the man about to become a father and a lord. He reminisced winning a wonderful opportunity to put in a flashback.

He remembered the times he would look at the boy as if he was his very son. And the boy would look up to him as if he was genuine father of blood. They were relatives…but not father and son. This old man had a son once before, but lost him. And now that this old man is given another, he didn't want to lose him anymore. He cared and loved him and along came scolding, sermons, lectures, naggings and teases…and of course worries and migraines…

And this old man was very happy that his boy, yes, his boy had made a way for a man as old as him to be loved and for him to spread his love and trust to another person…a woman.

And now his boy and his girl are giving him a little grandbaby!

"They grow up so fast…" he whispered under his breath.

"Pardon?" The man said, "Sorry, Uncle but I didn't catch that."

"Never mind." He smiled at his boy.

His boy.

His little boy now a big man.

And this big man might get a little boy of his own...

"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"WWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAHHHHHHH"

The old man stood up in enthusiasm. It was what they were waiting for! After NINE STINKIN' MONTHS!

The excited father was to rush to the door and burst it open when a hand from the inside pushed it closed again.

"Forgive me, My Lord but it is not yet through." A woman's voice was heard through the metal door.

"What do you mean it isn't finished!" the man burst to flames. If it wasn't for the firm grip that the hand, that suddenly placed itself on the anxious father's shoulder gave, the man would have burned the door down.

"Sit down, Zuko." The man said slowly and clearly.

The Fire Lord looked back speechless at his uncle. "Ye-eah."

The two sat back down. There was no use to panic and worry. "All we can do now is wait."

They heard more wails from the woman. Pushing was not the easiest thing to do, you know.

"Night falls…" The old man stated.

"Huh?"

"The moon rises, Zuko."

Then everything stopped. No more wailing no more shouting of 'push!'

All they heard was another cry.

"Well, it pays to be patient Zuko…" The old man leaned on his seat, feeling more relaxed than ever "In return you get two bundles of joy!"

Zuko stood up slowly his face depicting curiosity and wonder, his eyes a blur and in a daze.

A woman in white suddenly stepped out from the room and stopped in front of the men. "You may now enter, Lord Zuko, General Iroh."

Zuko was speechless; his lips were dry and the air taken from him. He just nodded and stepped in the room and looked inside…

His eyes fell on 3 figures on the bed.

The woman in white, sweat and blood, was singing a lullaby and looked up to face his teary-eyed husband. "Zuko…" she murmured.

"Katara…" he murmured back

Women in white were bustling around trying to fix the mess that was made in the bringing of the babies as fast as they could. When they finished, the left the room for the family to have a little privacy.

Iroh was a few steps back from Zuko. He watched in awe as his grandnephews-slash-nieces tried to move about in their mother's arms.

"Take one. I can't handle them both." Katara whispered.

Zuko nodded and stepped closer to the new mommy.

He took the baby with a truffle of black on his head. Zuko felt his eyes getting tearier.

"That's our boy, Zuko." Katara mumbled getting tired. "Our baby of the night."

Zuko looked at his son…the baby opened his eyes slightly. Zuko could see the blue of his eyes…the beautiful blue of his wife's own eyes.

"And this little one?" Zuko caressed the head of the baby in his wife's arms, gently

"This one is our girl…" Katara kissed the little baby's forehead "My bearer of the setting sun"

Zuko smiled softly at his children. He could imagine teaching them how to play games and learn martial arts the way he did when he was little. Maybe he could teach one of them the "Fire Duel"

"So…" a voice from behind suddenly became audible "What are their names?"

"Uncle…" Zuko sighed softly smiling at his uncle

"Well! Excuse me if the granduncle is excited!" He crossed his arms pouting childishly.

The three of them laughed.

"Mizuryuu." Zuko muttered. "My little **_'Water Dragon'_**"

"Why?"

"I could tell he will be like his mother…" Zuko smiled at his wife…his wife blushing widely.

"But what about the little girl!" Iroh could've jumped but he was afraid he might break something.

"Hehehe." Zuko gazed at Katara "I'm going to leave that for you."

Katara thought for a moment, a look on her face as if she wasn't sure. "I hope none of you wouldn't mind. But this name has been flashing before me for quite sometime now…"

"What is it?"

"Hizaku."

Zuko's eyes widened and Iroh's face grew soft.

"The Fire Blossom." Iroh said " A flower not so rare but not so common. Its scarlet petals blend with the fire nation's environment that is not noticed by most."

Zuko stepped closer to the window and admired the stars

"But the purest of hearts and most observant of souls notice it and appreciate the beauty that it beholds." Iroh finished.

Katara stared at her uncle-in-law. She never knew that uncle Iroh cared so much for the Fire Blossom that he seemed to pour out all of his emotion in telling a story.

"It was my mother's name." a voice softly said.

Katara's eyes soften and she felt like tears were about to fall from her again

"I'm so-"

"Don't be sorry." Iroh interrupted. He looked at Zuko.

"Katara." Zuko looked up to the sky, Mizuryuu in his arms. "I've always known that you could make the beautiful things that no one else could."

A tear rolled down Katara's cheek. "Zuko…"

"You've made a beautiful choice." Zuko walked over to Katara and kissed her forehead. "Hizaku is a wonderful name."

"I would tell the whole world of this news! Congratulations!" Iroh exited the room knowing that the couple might want some extra privacy.

"Okay…" Zuko absent-mindedly answered.

Zuko and Katara stared into each other's eyes…

The babies making small soft sounds as they got closer…

"I love you Zuko."

"Same goes here."

Their face got closer to each other …and…

the babies squealed! "Nyah!"

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**Michi29 Mail:** I don't know if I'll update…but I'll try my best! I want to show you the Avatar's point of view! 

I mean…Aang and Katara did kiss in one of the episodes!

Hehe!

Please review! See you soon!

Bye!


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